Malloy “is a very scheming character,” said Penacoli, who last appeared on “Days” as himself in 2011. “He’s fun to play because he’s so bad. I still remember the mind-set of the character, and he hasn’t changed. He doesn’t care what he says, and he comes out with some real humdingers.”

Back in 2000, the conniving Malloy hired Marlena Evans (Deidra Hall) as a radio talk-show therapist and made her life “a living hell,” Penacoli recalls. This time around, Malloy stirs things up with Nicole Walker (Arianne Zucker) by making her an intriguing job offer.

Since being contacted by casting directors, the longtime “Extra” correspondent has managed to squeeze in monthly trips to Los Angeles to shoot episodes for the show.

“It was supposed to be one (episode), then I did the first and it was three more — and now we’re up to 12,” Penacoli said. “We may be seeing (Malloy) through the fall and winter.”

“Daytime” viewers have benefitted with a behind-the-scenes look from the set of “Days of Our Lives,” which made its television debut in 1965.

Penacoli, 57, began his career at WJKS-TV in Jacksonville as a general assignment reporter and news anchor. He was a prime-time news anchor for KYW-TV in Philadelphia, host and producer of “PM Magazine” at WTVJ in Miami, and co-host of the national talk show “Attitudes.” He moved to Los Angeles in 1992 to pursue an acting career and appeared on several prime-time shows and daytime dramas, including “One Life to Live.”

The Emmy-award winner worked 13 years as an entertainment reporter on “Extra” and remains a part-time correspondent on that show.

“It’s really fun to be able to do this,” he said of the soap role. “To have the opportunity to play such an evil guy again is very cool. As long as it’s feasible, I’ll keep doing it.”